A new poll suggests Canadians support the Conservatives’ plan for Senate reform, including setting term limits and requiring senators to win their seats in an election.

The Angus Reid online poll found that 40% of Canadians think the country needs a Senate and should be involved in the process of choosing senators, but that citizens are divided on just how a seat in the Red Chamber should be earned. When asked if the Senate should be abolished altogether, respondents were scattered: 34% supported the idea, 35% opposed it, and 31% said they were not sure.

The polling firm has conducted four surveys on Senate reform since February 2010, and Angus Reid Public Opinion Vice President Jaideep Mukerji says public opinion on the matter has remained consistent over the last year.

“When you ask people about it and the extent to which they follow it, they have a clear view that the status quo with the Senate isn’t efficient and they’re open to different ways of having the Senate operate,” he said.

The majority of respondents in every province supported Canadians directly electing their senators, with 70% supporting eight-year term limits. Creating a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators instead of the prime minister was the least popular idea proposed, garnering 39% support. Seventy-one per cent say a nationwide referendum should be held to determine the Senate’s future.

The poll suggests that the anti-Senate attitude is most prevalent in Quebec, where 43% of respondents said they would abolish Senate and defer all legislation to be reviewed and authorized by the House of Commons.

Mr. Mukerji says this represents the wide-scale frustration Quebeckers feel with political representation.

“We saw it in full effect during the federal election, but I think it also extends into the negative view we’re seeing of the Senate in Quebec. I think they just have a more negative view of politicians in general right now.”

One constant in the survey is the rejection of the status quo: Only 5% of Canadians want to keep the current Senate guidelines in place.

“The longer this gets unresolved, the more opinions will turn on the Senate and perhaps public scrutiny will come down to bear on what they’re accomplishing as an institution,” Mr. Mukerji said.

However, the poll indicates that some respondents are more pessimistic than others: 30% of Canadians believe they will never be able to elect their senators, while 24% expect to be casting ballots by 2016.

The online poll surveyed 1,000 randomly selected Canadians who are Angus Reid Forum panelists between July 8 and July 9. The margin of error is 3.1%.